It’s Spurs report card day heading into playoffs

The end of the regular provides an obvious time to take a look at the Spurs’ report card since the end of the All-Star break heading into the playoffs.

The team faced its biggest adversity of the season with injuries to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili over the final third of the season.

Here’s a look at another Spurs Nation report card and my explanation for the grades.

Gary Neal – A (A-minus on his earlier cards) – So much for concern about him slacking off at the end of his rookie season. He’s averaging 12 points in 24.1 minutes and developed into the team’s most consistent perimeter threat late in the season.

Tim Duncan – A-minus (A-minus on his earlier cards) – After spraining his left ankle, his production has picked up noticeably since his return. It’s a good sign for the Spurs’ most important player heading into the playoffs.

Tony Parker – A-minus (A on his earlier cards) – His shooting has tailed off a little, although confidence in the 3-ball appears to be rising down the stretch. The Spurs’ Most Valuable Player this season continued his strong play from earlier in the season.

George Hill – A-minus (A-minus on his earlier cards) – With Parker and Ginobili out of the offense during their injuries, he became the team’s top offensive threat from the backcourt. The result has been four of his five top scoring games of the season.

Antonio McDyess – B-plus (A-minus on his last card, B-plus on his first card) – The veteran center was added to the starting lineup to provide more interior defense. The experiment seems to be working, although McDyess actually might be more effective coming off the bench.

Manu Ginobili – B-plus (B on his last card, A-plus on his first card) – Doesn’t seem as tired as he was when he was carrying the team earlier in the season. His shooting has picked up a little, but his quick recovery from the sprained elbow remains the biggest concern heading into the playoffs.

Steve Novak – B-plus (B-minus on earlier card) – Even with his defensive woes, he’s become a fast fan favorite because of his deadly outside shoot touch.

Tiago Splitter – B (C on his earlier cards) – Started getting more consistent minutes as provided a lift with his rebounding and defense. He’s still a work in progress, but there’s more confidence in him and from him heading into the playoffs.

Danny Green – B (no previous cards) – He’s showing a willingness to fire away, no matter the game situation. In the last four games, it’s helped him average 8.8 points in less than 20 minutes a game and could lead to some playoff minutes.

Chris Quinn – B-minus (B on last card, A on his first card) – Although he’s been inactive in most games since the All-Star break, he’s still been handy like in his nine-assist game against the Lakers last week.

DeJuan Blair – B-minus (A-minus on last card, C on first card) – Defensive breakdowns led to his removal from the starting lineup. But he hasn’t sulked and has shown recent promise as an energy provider coming off the bench.

Matt Bonner – C (B-plus on his earlier cards) – He appears to have weathered a miserable perimeter shooting slump by trying to go inside as a way to get his points. Even with the struggles, he finished as the league’s top 3-point shooter and is a primary area of concern for any playoff opponent.

Richard Jefferson – C (B on his last card, B-plus on his first card) – His scoring has tailed off as he’s relying more on his perimeter game than earlier in the season. And more importantly, there’s little hesistancy when he gets those shots.

James Anderson – C-minus (Incompletes on his earlier cards) – Struggles with conditioning have led to little contribution from him down the stretch. A long summer of work will be important for him to regain the confidence of the Spurs’ coaches — lockout or not.

Coaching – B-plus (A on earlier cards) – Gregg Popovich has done a good job enduring his first serious batch of injuries. That limited roster was the primary cause of the late losing skid, although the late playing rotation and Splitter’s inconsistent minutes remain curious with the playoffs approaching.